Emergency traffic barrier



Larch 25, 192 3;

J. 'ikEENAN EMERGENCY TRAFFIC BARRIER Filed March 21 1923 2 Sheetg-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Ef i ATTORNEY March25, 1924;

J. J. KEENAN EMERGENCY TRAFFIC BARRIER Filed March 21, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I a m.

i F. m

m K A m ATTORNEY I o all wlwm it may; 'mjcem:

P s-ted ai-. 5, 19 24 n; STATES ENT or Fic JOHN I'KEENAN, on NEW ong, N. 'Y. I

EMERGENCY TRAFFIC BARRIER.

application filed-March 21, 1923. Serial No. 626.6%7

Be it known that I, JOHN J. Kleenex-a citizen of theUnited- States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented cer tain; new and useful Improvements in an tion.

Emergenc'yl'lraffic Barrier, of which the following is, a full, clear, and exact specificai ferry boats and elsewhere, whereby automobiles, autotrucks and other vehicular traffic] as well as runaway animals may be timely stopped in their course of travel to prevent :an electricallyoperativc form for allowing the device to be operated from a station-- the occurrence of accidents, and which is-of suitably located ata distance from the ap-' paratus if desired. These advantages are eff fectuated mainly by the provision of spaced guard elements, each having apost with a substantially U-shaped flange on one of its lengthwise edges and having an angularly disposed arm'protruding from its other end.

The guard elements are pivoted to the wallsof a. trough when arranged across a public highway or on a ferry boat'and elsewhere so that the. posts are normally positioned lengthwise in the trough with the. flanges being flush with the highway and so that the grooves of theflanges'are in register, while the arms of the guard elements are disposed interiorly of the trough. .'The

- guard elements are adapted to be' sw n whereby the posts will be moved to and from spaced vertical positions above the highway for serving as a barrier to' stop the travel of ehiclesand animals in emergency.

Other objects of the invention are to provide electric means operativejfor causing the guard elements to be swung for alternately raising and lowering the-posts simultaneously;- toprovide. a flexible .barrier 'line which is normally disposed in the-grooves of the flanges of the posts when lowered in the trough for being moved to aposition on the upper ends of the posts when raised above the highway to prevent persons end of the from passingthrough the, spacesbetween the p()sts",an'(l to provide a trafiic barrier of a simple,-'efiicient and'durable construction whichmay be made of suitable material in anyappropriate size.

With. these a'nd other objects i'n s, at

invention will beh'ereinafter more fully de-.-

scribed with" 're ferenc'e to' the accompanying 4 drawings forming a 'part of. this specification In which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

at the end of -the-description. I

"Inthe drawings, I'ig-ure 1 1s aifrag nen s tary view-partly in section, showing one and will then be 'pointedfout- ,inthe claims end of a ferry boatwith-one. 'formpt my improved emergency barrier applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is anenlarged fragmentary View showing a detail sectionlaken on the line ore-20f Fig. 1. v 1 I V Fig. 3":is fragmentary view showing -a, diagrammatic' view of the electric circuit, motor and controlling swit'cliused for oper-' ating 'the apparatus.

-, lug; 4is an enlarged -fragmentary detail sectional View Showing the parts'o'f the apparatus illustrated. in; Fig.;'2 when operated 4 and in position-forstopping traffic in emer- Fig. 5 is'an enlarged fragmentary view,-

partly in detail and partly in section, taken on the line 5- -5 of Fig. 2.andv Fig. 6 is anenlarged fragmentary view showing. a detail section taken' 0n the line '66 of Fig. 2.

When the apparatushor 'traflic barrier is constructed for use a tron h, as 10, having.

a bottom 11 and side .wa ls-'-12,- 13' is 'arran ed in a sunken position across a public higiway, such as the, street of a city, rai'l-- road crossing and elsewherepthough in the drawing theapparatusis illustrated as employed on a ferry boat, as 14, with thetrough. I q

10 being sunken 'in the deck 15 across one vehicular traffic passage way, as .16. a

In the trough 10 are series of ole-2' ments 17, all preferably of: corresponding sizes 7 and formations, and each of these guard elementshas a post 18-,with a grooved V orsubstantia-lly U-shaped flange, 19 extend;

'ing lengthwise of one ofits edges, and protruding from one end of each post right angular-1y to its edge opposite to the grooved flange is an arm 20. The juncture of these parts of the posts 18 and arms 20 of each 01 the; guard elements is pivoted, at '2l, to

' trough andso that the flanges 19 are flush the'silde walls '12, 1.3 of the trough 'so that the. postsa'red'isposecl lengthwise of the with the surface of: the-highway with the grooves of the'flanges being in register. The

"arms'ZO of the ;nard elements extend 'ver- --"tically downward 'in the trough, and the posts 1Sfot the guard elements-are of lengths 'so that their ends are in close proximity as i v ell 'as extending practically throughout the i "entire length of the entrance of the trough. jProtrndin'g' right angularly jfrom the lower part-0f the arm of each of the guardelements 17in an opposite direction to the posts 18 man extension member or second arm-22,

and these extension inenibeisare in,-ali nen1ent=-w1t h-1n the trough. All of the 'exten-. sion n'embeis 22 are pivoted, at '23, to ,a--

single bar, as 24, so that by, moving this bar reversely-movingthe bar 24 the guard elements ,will be 'swung'to lower the posts so fee that the In order to prevent persons Positions a'hore 'the hi hway, a flexible line )arrier, as 25 LS provided. "llns hne barrier I isfprefera bly in the form of a chain or cable having its-ends fastened, at 26, 27, tosuitable supports; as 28,20, prorided on, the

higlnvay. contiguous to the ends of the-guard elements 17 so t-hatwhen'therlements are ---in lowered] positions in the trough the line ba-rrier \vill'lie in itlu -grooves'of the flanges 19 of tliefposts '18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for being elevatedwhereby the line bar- "rier will be disposed on the tops of'the posts whenin upstanding positions. {lheline bar- -'vided- ;-in."the trough '10 in spared relation totheends of the bar Q-l of the guard elenients.- 'lhe drumsll is held on a shaft 33' journaled in lliebeal'lngs. of two fspao'ed ri'er 'ill -then obstruct the passage of person's through thespares between theoposts.

Hervingto operate the guard elements 17 and,lineharrier 2T3 asl'xplained, 1 provide electric operatii'e nwans, which preferably includes two'drums or pulleys 31, 32 probrackets, .as 3 h 35;;whieh,are arranged on the bottolnof-the trough, and the dru'm' 32 r held on a shaftiiG journaled in the bearings oftwo spaced brackets 37, '38 also arranged-"on the bottom of the trough. On

the drums is wrapped a'cahle' 39 having its j. ends attached to the ends of the bar 2411f his the guard elements.

The shaft 36 of the drum is adapted flanges 19 are on a level with the ';sui'faee'-ofthe highway. Q U from passing through the space between the posts Of th e "guard-eleinents when moved to upstanding be drivenihy a suitable reversible-type of electrically operative motor, as"42,- whichmay be mounted on the bottom-of the trough a '10. Onithe drive shaft-0f the motor is=a .70

worm, as 43, in-mesh' with a worm gear 44 held on the shaft 36 of' tl1e'drum' 32. The

motor is interposed in a normally open eleesource ofielectrical energy to .one .t'erminel 'ti'ic' oi'rcuit 45 wl 1ich' may becomposed of a a '11846 leading from atbattery 47 01' other f of the IllQtQl'. A wire-48 leads from the, bat-- tery to one pole of a cont-rdlling switeh 49' which maybe f any wellknown make operative for closing and openingthereireuit wheieby the motor may be revolved in either 180 direction and from thesecond poleof'the switch leads a wireSQ'to the secon'd terminal of the battery. The switeh fill may be 'ar ranged to allow the apparatus-tobe' 0per-:

Fated at a distant or nearbylstat ion, and when the switch isbpeiated accordingly for oper-- ating the guard elementsfand lineal barrier to close the passage on the highway, the. circnit will bG'ClOSOd fromthebattery' 47 over' wire 46 to'one terminal of the'niotor. From the battery the circuit will alsobe-elos ed over wire 48.. and -through the switch endover the wire 50 to 'theflsecondterminal of the motors Tl1e' mo tor,will then be driven to rotate the worms 43,44 for revolving the shaft .36 and drums 32st) that the cable 31':

' and bar2-l will operatc'in unison all of thef'" I guard elements whereby the posts'1'8 willibe swung 'to upstandingpositionsiabovejthe highway with" the barrier line '25 being stretehral across the tops oftlie postsi When i V the SWllCll.ISllPOltltCLlIii-Q1088 the"circuit' 1 for reveiselyrotating thei'mo tor, the drums.

and cable will be'opei-ated for eausing're- 'turn of the guard elements and the barrier hne lothe'i'r normal positions in the trough.

ios

While in the foregoing deseriptioml have embodied the preferred form of inventio'n,-I

do not wish to be undeistood as limiting my-" self thereto, as I am aware that modifica- 1'10- tions may be, made-therein without 'depart-' 7 mg from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, therefore,

I reserve to 'ur'vself the right 'to make-such, i 1. 15

changes as fairly fall .within the scope thereof. v

' llaring thus described m inv'entibn',

rlaiin 'as'neu' and Patent;

desire to secure by Letters 1. In an emergencnlrallic barrier, the

12 0 combination with a trough adapted to ,lie arranged arross' a lngh\ \'avso. thatllle walls).

tliereof are below the surface of the' high- I way of spaced guardelements'eaeh having a' post withia substantially U-shziped flange on one of its lengthwise edges. said ole: ments'.p ivoted' to the walls of the trough whereby the posts thereof are normallyposi'i" tioned lengthwise in the trough with the flengesbeing flush 'with. the surface of the highway and. so that the grooves of-the flanges are in 'register,i a flexible barrier line normally disposed in thegrooves of -the flanges of the posts when lowered inthe trough and the line having its ends held above both of the -.end guard elements for being moved to and from a position on the upper ends of theposts, when raised 1 and lowered above the highway-,and' electric means operative for operating the guard combination with a trough adapted to he arranged-across-a highway .so that the. walls' thereof are below the' surface of the hi h I way, ofspaced guard elements, each having I .'a post with a substantially U-shaped flange other end, sai

"on one of its lengthwise edges and having an angularly disposed arm protruding from its of ';the trough whereby the, poststher'eof are normally positioned lengthwise in the trough with the flanges being flush'with the surface of the highwayand so that-the .-groo.ves of the flangesare in registervwhile' the arms of; theelement's. are interiorly of .the'trough,=a', flexible barrier line normally disposed .in the grooves of the flan es of the posts when lowered in the troug and the, line, having its ends held-above both 1' of the end'guard elements for being moved to andfrom a position on the-'upper ends ve'rt1cal positions above the highway 4, combination with a trough-'adapted'to be ar-' ranged acrossa highway so that the-walls '-the'reof are belowthe surface of the high 3. Inan emergency traflic barrier, the

way, of spaced guard elements,'each having fa post'with a substantially; U=shaped flange on oneof its lengthwise edges and'having an angularly disposed arm protruding from i its other end, said :elements pivoted to the walls-of the trough whereby the posts there-. of are normally positioned lengthwise in the trough with-the flanges being flush with the surface of the highway'and so that the gI0( )V8S of the flanges are in registerwhile;

the arms of the elements are interiorly of '-tl'1e 'trougl1, a-- flexible barrier, line normally disposed in the grooves'of the flanges I of-the posts when lowered in'the' trough and the-line having its'ends .held above both oftheend guard elements for being moved to and from a'position on the upper ends of the posts when raised and lowered above the highway, an extension member disposed angularly from the arm of each of the guard'elements,'a bar in-the trough, having all of the extensionmembers pivoted .no'rmally with the anges being flush .with the surface of the highway'and so that the grooves of elements pivotedtothe walls thereto, and: electric v means operative for operating the guard. elements whereby the '.-posts will be swung to and from spaced vertical positions above the highway; 4; I'n an emergency t'raflic barrler, the

of thetroiigh whereby. t e posts thereof are ositioned lengthwise in the trough combination-with a trough adapted to be arranged acrossia highway sothat the walls 4 thereof are below the surface'of the high- 1 other end, said elements ivoted to the walls the flanges are in register while the arms of Y I the elements are-interiorly of the-trough, a. flexible barrier line normally disposed in the grooves of the flanges of the posts when lowered'in the trough and the line-having its ends held above both of theiend guar V elements for beingmoved to and from aposi'tion on the upper ends of the posts when extension; member disposed angularly fromthearmofeach of theguard'elements, a bar.

raised and lowered above the highway,-an

in the trough,'having all of the extension members pivoted thereto, twodrums revolvably supported in the trough in spaced re- 4 lation'to the ends of the bar and also spaced from the end guard elements, a cable wrap ed on the drums, and having its ends attached f theiposts when 'rais'edand lowered above a the highway, and electric me'ans'operative i 'Jfo'r' operating the guard elements whereby 'the posts will be'swung to and from spaced to the ends of said bar, and electric means operative for revolving the drums tolmove' the cable and. said bar for'operating the guard elements'whereby the posts will be swung toan'd from spaced vertical positions" above the highway.

5; In an emergency traflic barrier the combination with a trough adapted to be arranged across a highway so'that the walls on one of its lengthwise. edges and having an ,angularly disposed-arm protruding from its thereof are below the surface of the highother end, said elements pivoted to the wallsi of the trough whereby the'posts thereof are normally 'ositioned lengthwiscin the trough .with the Ea "of the highway and-so that the grooves of nges being flush with the surface thefianges are in register while the arins of the elements are interiorly ofthe trough, theguard elements adapted to be swung Wherey the posts will be raised and lowered to and from spaced vertical positions above the highway, a flexible barrier line normally disposed in the grooves of the flan esof the posts when lowered in the trougi and the me having its ends held above bothof the end guardelenients for being moved to and from a position on the upper ends'of the posts when raised and lowered above the fl'the} drums to move its cable and the bar i whenebythe guard elements may be swnng Lin; spaced rela'ti'on-to' the ends 0i the bzir and also spaced from the end. guard elements, a

A cable gvraplped .on, the drums and having its 1iighway,'-an extensidn member disposed ang'\'i lai'ly from th; arm of eich of theguard -elernents, abar' in the-h'ough, havingigll o; E the extension 'Inembe'rs pivoted thQIGtO tWO. switch operativc'for closing and opening the drums r'evolvably supported inthe --trciugh ends "a'tfac ed} to the 'sndsofsa id bar, amotoi lin thtro-ugh, operative for revolving for moving th osts; and barrier line aboveth'tronghand ighway, an "electric circuit 'leading to the motor, and a controlling 15 circuit to operate and stopv thejmofiol -This specification signed and witnessed this 20th day of'March A..D. 1923. v

JOHN J. KEENAN.

" xvi messes;

RGOO MAN,

J J. F REDERICK CRYER. 

